The so-called "continuous monitoring" of systems is becoming a hot topic in government. That's because under federal guidelines, agencies must report how they protect their information systems, plus, agencies are now required to submit real-time data about the state of their networks.

Continuous monitoring doesn't mean systems have to be watched every minute. Even now, some agencies are able to monitor their systems through international networks at least once a day.

A new study that finds 80-percent of I-T managers expect network-born threats to increase over the next year. Perhaps even more troubling, more than half of managers told netForensics their organization was not budgeting enough, or recruiting enough new talent, to counter any added cyber-threats. Almost 25-percent of respondents said they saw a decrease in staff size in the last year.

More than half of the managers polled did however say their organization was more secure now than it was a year ago.

A software trade association has produced a first-of-its-kind cybersecurity framework to help guide governments' security efforts worldwide. Officials with the Business Software Alliance say it's needed to help countries put together policies that will thwart the many kinds kinds of cybersecurity threats that exist.

Working with the private sector and prosecuting cyber-criminals are key parts of the framework.

The editor-in-chief of the controversial web site Wikileaks' is sending out pleas for financial and legal help. Julian Assange is looking for some support in the formation of local "Friends of WikiLeaks" chapters to help build out the site's mission to (ostensibly) protect whistleblowers, journalists and activists.
With pressure on the site coming from several directions - possibly including the Pentagon - regarding its publication of potentially sensitive information - Assange has sent out emails with the header "WikiLeaks may be under attack."

Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn traveled to Ottawa recently to try and drum up support for a new international organization to combat cyber warfare. He told the Canadian audience the U.S. can't defend its networks alone, and pointed to increasing threats from hackers and computer viruses.
The visit marked the kick-off a U.S.-led initiative to create such an international organization. Discussions have begun with several countries.

The General Services Administration and Homeland Security Department have approved the first government-wide provider of cybersecurity services under the Networx telecommunications contract.
AT&T has received authority to operate its Managed Trusted IP Services (or MTIPS) program, a move that took almost a year to approve.
Qwest, Sprint and Verizon also received awards to be MTIPS providers, but have not received the authority to operate on a governmentwide basis.

The Department of Homeland Security is putting together a report on the global response to Conficker Worm attacks, while analysts warn, the Worm is still alive and well, though probably well hidden.
Atlantic Monthly columnist Mark Bowden says, botnets like the Conficker Worm are evidence that worms and viruses are now being developed by those who have intricate knowledge of cryptography, a prospect that makes defending against attacks increasingly difficult.

The U.S. Cyber Command - or CYBERCOM - officially became operational in late May.
But observers inside the military and out still aren't sure what the command is supposed to do: protect the Pentagon's networks, strike out at enemies, seal up civilian vulnerabilities, or some combination of all three.
CYBERCOM officials insist they have no interest in taking over the security of the Internet, but Pentagon officials have floated the idea the Defense Department might start a protective program for civilian networks.

Dubbed tab-napping, a new type of attack has been using Java script to secretly change the content of open, but idle, tabbed browser windows.

Even hours after opening them, users may see familiar-looking log-in windows for their online shopping or e-mail accounts. But, credential information used to log-on may actually be sent to hackers. Analysts caution, all of the major browsers for Windows 7 and Mac Operating Systems are potentially vulnerable.